Review: Australian ex-Bourbon cask matured single malts

Luke McCarthy -
Whisky Reviews
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On tasting: Hobart Whisky The Signature, Corowa Barrel House XB Bourbon Cask, Spring Bay Bourbon Cask, Backwoods White Oak Batch 7 Single Malt, Launceston Bourbon Cask Strength H17-47, The Aisling Cnoc Neamh, Hillwood Bourbon Cask #49, Overeem 12 Year Old Bourbon Cask (OHD-057), Starward Munich Malt, Kinglake Distillery Full Noise, Black Gate Bourbon Cask Vatting Hellyers Road 19 Year Old LMDW

This was a lot of fun. As a big fan of the distillate Australian whisky makers create, it’s a pleasure to see that distillate given space and time to tell its story.

Often, brilliantly, that’s a story about Australian agriculture. When the spirit isn’t hidden away behind the cask, you get to see what Australian barley actually contributes to the single malt whiskies produced here. That story becomes even more complex and rewarding when the fine work of our unique maltsters like Voyager are given room to showcase their talent and skill.

Of course, the spirit-forward vs. cask-forward Australian whisky debate is constantly evolving. And while I’m personally drawn to ex-Bourbon cask matured whiskies, I think there’s even more potential with refill casks of many different types and styles.

Yes, there’s quite a lot of Bourbon cask whiskies reviewed below. I chose these to highlight some of the different methods being used in terms of smaller and larger format casks, the different mash bills at play, the different ages and maturation techniques, etc.

But I’d also highly recommend Bakery Hill’s exceptional single malts, who’ve long flown the flag for a more patient and distillate-focused approach. And then, of course, you’d be well advised to try Sullivans Cove’s American Oak bottlings (if you can find some), which are frequently best in class.

  • HOBART WHISKY THE SIGNATURE SINGLE MALT WHISKY (Batch S-011)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 47%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Devil's Distillery (Hobart Whisky) from Tasmanian barley, matured in ex-Bourbon casks and then married together in a vat solera-style. For each batch, a portion of the vat is then decanted and bottled. Batch S-011 was bottled in 2022.
    • Location: Hobart, TAS
    • Score: 88
    Nose
    Immediate vanilla and fruits: pear, guava, apple pie. Slight straw, hay and honey as the malt shines through. Super fragrant, gets more floral with time.
    Palate
    Comes on beautifully. Great vanilla and pastry sweetness from the casks. The fruit, green apple and pear hangs around here, too. Slightly nutty as it progresses, and a hint of nutmeg and spice as the Bourbon cask catches and adds grip and weight.
    Finish
    Just enough grip and texture through here.
    Comments
    This is a real winner. It's showed great consistency from batch to batch and lands at a solid price ($156) for a Tassie offering. Great malt character on show, fruity, subtle but complex, balanced.
  • Corowa Distilling Co. Barrel House XB Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 46%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Corowa Distilling Co. from Riverina barley and matured in ex-Bourbon casks. Bottled 2022.
    • Location: Corowa, NSW
    • Score: 80
    Nose
    A subtle start, especially for a Corowa malt. Slight pear and soap. Citrus and grassy malt flavours. Not the most expressive here, but there's enough to get you interested.
    Palate
    Maltier than the nose suggests, but also a little hot and youthful. That grass and hay continues here, a Corowa trademark. Gets a little spritzy, too, with banoffee, shortbread and some tannin from the American oak coming on.
    Finish
    Drying here, and that youth persists.
    Comments
    Solid stuff. Great price, and some of the heat and youth will mature out as the batches get older and more complex. Worth trying in a Highball - this would work brilliantly in a lot of cocktails.
  • Spring Bay Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky (Cask #137)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 46%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Spring Bay Distillery in 2018 from Tasmanian barley and matured in an ex-Bourbon cask. Bottled 2022.
    • Location: Spring Bay, TAS
    • Score: 88
    Nose
    Creamy and saline. Manuka honey, cinnamon, stone fruit and peaches. Some spice, warmth and heat, but very together.
    Palate
    Sweet and creamy. Barley sugars, sea spray, the fruits from the nose and a touch of anise. Walks an interesting line between sweet, savoury and spicy. Macadamia as it progresses, and something herbal as the cask and the malt come together. Not getting as much of those sea salt notes which used to be quite prevalent, but that could just be me.
    Finish
    More crème brulee sweetness against spice and sage. Cask exerts its influence more so here than previous expressions I've tried.
    Comments
    This is still a firm favourite, and I've been lucky to try a lot of Spring Bay Bourbon Cask whiskies since it was first released in 2017. More dense and spicy than other casks I've come across, but there's still plenty of tropical fruit and intrigue to savour.
  • Launceston Distillery Bourbon Cask Cask Strength Single Malt Whisky (Batch H17-47)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 62.5%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Launceston Distillery 27 December 2017 from Tasmanian barley and matured in a single ex-Bourbon cask. Bottled March 2022. 144 bottles in total.
    • Location: Launceston, TAS
    • Score: 91
    Nose
    Beautifully floral upfront despite the ABV: toffee, pears and lemon slice. Lots of vanilla, oak and tropical fruit to contend with but the malt and cereal in the spirit is singing.
    Palate
    Big flavour, but the perfume and fruit in the distillate holds it all together. It's extracted plenty of coconut and caramel goodness from the cask, but the fruits and florals are still there, and this drinks like something well beyond its years.
    Finish
    Long and balanced. Certainly some grip from the cask here, but it's the lovely caramel kind. Also takes to a few drops of water really well, brings out more of the fruit.
    Comments
    These Launceston Bourbon cask whiskies are starting to develop a serious following among fans of spirit-forward malts. Exceptional balance, the distillate's the hero, and the cask selection and maturation have been managed expertly. Refreshing and delicious.
  • The Aisling Cnoc Neamh Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 50%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at the Aisling Distillery from Riverina barley and matured for four years in 3 x 225 litre Heaven Hill ex-Bourbon casks. Bottled February 2022. 500 bottles in total.
    • Location: Griffith, NSW
    • Score: 78
    Nose
    Slightly piney and herbal. Wood shavings, vanilla, dark honey and milk chocolate underneath. Needs some air and time for some of the volatility to blow off.
    Palate
    Pleasant vanilla and malt, but a little hot and disjointed. Not sure if that's the ABV or if the integration between cask and spirit isn't quite there. Really found this improved with water - brought forward more of the malt, burnt butter and caramel.
    Finish
    Plenty of length, but a fair bit of heat to go along with it. Nice malty flourish at the tail.
    Comments
    This has some nice moments, but the piney, wood shaving flavours detract from the lovely bits which you can see are there. Love the design and approach, but not sure if spirit and cask have quite come together.
  • Hillwood Distillery Bourbon Cask Single Malt Whisky (Cask #49)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 60.5%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Tamar Valley Distillery from Tasmanian barley and matured for just over two years in a 20 litre ex-Bourbon cask. Bottled 2022. 30 bottles in total.
    • Location: Tamar Valley, TAS
    • Score: 85
    Nose
    Quite a golden, honey hue to it. Beautiful nose to start. This has sucked a lot of character and flavour from the cask - you can taste the Bourbon in this. Banana, peach, cereal sweetness, dark cherries, chocolate elairs. Even brighter and more malt-accented with the addition of some water.
    Palate
    Certainly grips on the palate, it's big and bold. Definitely sense the smaller casks at work here, but again, that influence has been well managed. Anise and brown sugar, and it gets fuzzy and fizzy as the oaks asserts its influence. With water, more caramel, toffee and malt.
    Finish
    Long. Slight dusty oak. Big malt and sweetness driving through.
    Comments
    It's high quality, limited and expensive at Hillwood, but like many of their whiskies, this is really fun and enjoyable. In a larger cask and with a bit more time, this could be even better.
  • Overeem 12 Year Old Bourbon Cask (OHD-057)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 46%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Overeem/Old Hobart from Tasmanian barley and matured for 12 years in 200 litre Heaven Hill ex-Bourbon casks. Released November 2021.
    • Location: Hobart, TAS
    • Score: 89
    Nose
    Subtle, but lots to discover. Waxy and creamy, with honey, pears and vanilla. Very floral for a Tasmanian malt. Mint, jasmine and some confectionary starts to poke through - teeth lollies and fruit chews.
    Palate
    Elegant. Pears, green apple, and some wonderful fruity esters emerge. Slightest hints of grip and oak - I'm surprised there’s not more considering the age - but this never becomes dry or cloying.
    Finish
    Not the longest, and maybe a bit contained at this ABV. The cask strength versions obviously had more carry. This goes down like silk.
    Comments
    What a treat. Elegant, fruity, floral, it's a testament to the foresight of the Overeems when the vast majority of Tasmanian whisky is the antithesis of this style. Only six of these Overeem 12 year old Bourbon casks were released between 2021-2022 bottled at both 46% and 60%. Looking forward to seeing more in future.
  • Starward Munich Malt Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 55%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled 2017 at Starward/New World Whisky Distillery from a combination of munich malt and Starward's standard brewing malt and matured in ex-Bourbon casks. Bottled September 2022. 970 bottles in total.
    • Location: Melbourne, VIC
    • Score: 89
    Nose
    Super expressive nose. Sweet and malty. White flowers, barley sugars, kiwi fruit. Hints of espresso and chocolate from the malt.
    Palate
    Yum. Chewy and malt-driven. Again the barley sugar notes, then shortbread and the expected vanilla from the casks. Hint of toffee and wafer from the Munich malt. A touch of water opened up more of the classic Starward tropical fruit.
    Finish
    Pleasant here, but doesn't carry as much as you might expect.
    Comments
    Yummo. Demonstrates just how well the Starward spirit profile works with Bourbon casks, which has always been amusing considering the iconic status of Starward's wine cask program. This is so well executed though, a great drinker, and gives you a clear look at the Starward spirit profile.
  • Backwoods Distilling Co. White Oak Single Malt Whisky (Batch 7)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 46%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Backwoods Distilling Co. from a mash of 50% Atlas pale malt, 40% Veloria schooner malt and 10% Voodoo schooner malt supplied by Voyager and matured for just over four years in ex-Whipper Snapper Upshot corn whiskey casks. Bottled 2022.
    • Location: Yackandandah, VIC
    • Score: 91
    Nose
    Wow, sweet and very fragrant. Creme fraiche, pavlova and white grapes. Some earthier, darker treacle and Manuka honey notes emerge as the malt profile appears.
    Palate
    Toasty and biscuity. Super clean, vanillin and spirit-driven, but then the malts and that distinctive spirit kick through. Integration of all the components is something else.
    Finish
    Long, lingering, beautiful malt drive. Geez it’s got some legs for the ABV.
    Comments
    Impressive, intelligent whisky making. When you've got a complex mash bill with different roasted malts at play, it makes so much sense to allow that bold, malty spirit to speak in less active casks. That this was also matured in ex-Australian corn whisky casks (basically Aussie Bourbon casks, to say something blasphemous), makes this even more enthralling. Big fan.
  • Kinglake Distillery Full Noise Single Malt Whisky (Batch 47/56/60)
    The Stats
    • ABV: 60%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled 16 April 2019 at Kinglake Distillery from a mash of 46% Atlas, 25% Vienna and 4% chocolate malt supplied by Voyager, 25% peated Scottish malt also added to the mash. Matured in 50 litre ex-Bourbon casks and bottled 13 October 2022. 202 bottles in total.
    • Location: Kinglake, VIC
    • Score: 87
    Nose
    As the title suggests, there's a bit to get your head around here, in a good way. Golden syrup, corn flakes and honey oats upfront. Gets more peppery, earthy and smoky with time. Coconut and herbal spice from the casks.
    Palate
    Super rich, oily and textural. Lashings of malt and biscuits, earthy and a sweet charcoal flavour. There are some moments where the tannins and the oak just bite a little. I preferred this with water: evened out and integrated the flavours and softened the oak influence.
    Finish
    Full throttle through the finish. Sweet malt, burnt caramel and dusty American oak lingering.
    Comments
    This does exactly what it says on the tin. Hugely fun and flavourful, sort of an Australian take on ex-Bourbon cask matured whisky - just a little more textural, cask forward and spicy than something from Scotland. Love the Kinglake project, and excited to try more iterations of these.
  • Black Gate Bourbon Cask Vatting Single Malt Whisky
    The Stats
    • ABV: 47.8%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Black Gate Distillery October 2018 from peated Scottish barley and matured in 3 x 200 litre Buffalo Trace ex-Bourbon casks which were then married together. Bottled December 2021. 1302 bottles in total.
    • Location: Mendooran, NSW
    • Score: 93
    Nose
    Meaty smoke and grunge, then vanilla and slightly burnt waffles. Hints of citrus, lemon peel, sea shells. Peach stone and pineapple. Bryll cream.
    Palate
    Impeccable balance. Hickory smoke, bacon and pastrami. Toffee, bonfire and brioche. Seamless marriage of casks, and this is remarkably fruity and tropical - toasted pineapple and burnt orange - for something with this level of peat.
    Finish
    Stunning through here. The malt, smoke and fruit just keep going.
    Comments
    So delicious, you could easily mistake this for an Islay malt. This is a whisky I constantly want open on my shelf, a whisky I'd reach for without thinking and freely pour for mates, enthusiasts or serious whisky nerds and I know they'd all get something out of it. I can't think of better praise than that.
  • Hellyers Road 19 Year Old Original American Oak Antipodes Single Malt Whisky LMDW
    The Stats
    • ABV: 61.1%
    • Price Band: $ $ $ $ $
    • Style: Single malt whisky
    • Production Story: Distilled at Hellyers Road Distillery in 2003 from Tasmanian barley and matured for 19 years in an ex-Bourbon cask. Selected and bottled by La Maison Du Whisky as a French exclusive. Released 2022. 135 bottles in total.
    • Location: Burnie, TAS
    • Score: 93
    Nose
    This is something else. Powerful and potent opening. The classic Hellyers Road nutty funkiness has been reformed into cocoa, dark chocolate and nutmeg. And then fruits and florals: tropical and estery, grapefruit and green apples, cloves and cinnamon.
    Palate
    Huge. A dense medley of fruits and high florals. The cask is there for sure, but it's just gradually worked away at the spirit, adding incense and Russian caravan tea, forest floor and dark berries. The malt and nuttiness comes later. Possibly even more complex with a few drops of water.
    Finish
    There's no stopping this. Cocoa powder, dark chocolate and that tea character re-emerges. Malt and cask keep playing off each other through the tail.
    Comments
    This is right up there. There's a freshness to this despite the age and layers and layers of complexity to discover. I wish we'd see more of these stunning Hellyers single casks promoted and distributed in the same way here in Australia, but I can also understand why LMDW and other independent bottlers are receiving most of them - this style is right up the European alley. Find some and try them if you haven't yet had the pleasure.
How We Score
Luke McCarthy
Luke McCarthy is the editor and publisher of Oz Whisky Review. An independent writer, author and drinks columnist, Luke's written about whisky and spirits for numerous Australian and international publications and is a judge at the Australian Distilled Spirits Awards. His book, The Australian Spirits Guide, the first to tackle the history and resurgence of the Australian spirits industry, was published in 2016 by Hardie Grant Books.